The Details

Chocolate peanut butter smoothies, pancakes, egg wraps and fruit juice for breakfast might not seem like a typical power breakfast. But after a morning feast of these items at Hotel Palomar Westwood, I did not feel weighed down in the slightest.

It could be because the Kimpton property uses organic, seasonal farmers’ market produce with no unhealthy additives. The smoothie, for example, was thickened with bananas and greek yogurt. As for my pancakes, one was made from buckwheat and the other pancake was made from almond flour. The creations were developed by Chef Richard Hodge of the property’s Blvd. 16 restaurant, in honor of his newest farm-to-table menu. But the Kimpton wellness experience goes beyond offering nutritious food. The success of on-property high-quality wellness classes and the addition of a new bike partnership are rounding out Kimpton’s well-being travel experience.

The Kimpton yoga service — in which guests who request the free service receive a Gaim yoga mat, a yoga block, extra towels and fruit-infused water and a healthy snack — launched in April and has enjoyed positive guest feedback. Guests can choose to do yoga in their room with Kimpton’s 24-hour yoga and Pilates channel, or they can take their practice outside the room for a unique experience.

For instance, in the course of several visits to Los Angeles’ Kimpton properties, Hotel Palomar and Hotel Wilshire, I tried acro yoga, or yoga with a partner; yoga for meditation classes, which focused more on breath than movement; and aqua yoga, where I donned weights on my ankles and wrists and tried out different yoga sequences with the help of two pool noodles.

Though I practice yoga frequently on my own, I had never tried these types of yoga — each version spiced up my regular practice by taking me out of a routine and offering a new perspective. Kimpton understands that wellness travelers want to maintain their healthful lifestyle while trying new activities and exploring their travel destination.

Kimpton’s new brand partnership with Public, a bicycle company from San Francisco, facilitates exploration and exercise simultaneously. Guests who take out the bikes receive maps that will help them explore the neighborhood. They will also be able to bring Kimpton food along with them through the hotel’s new “on-the-move” menus, which provide picnic-ready, to-go versions of the restaurant’s best dishes.